Moistener



Feb. 16, 1960 l o. LEHRE' 2,924,837

MOISTENER Filed June 13, 1957 INVENToR.

v v oTTo LEHRE BY RUM www w* Rm p m15 11 ATTORNEYS.

MOISTENER Otto Lehre, Springfield, NJ., assignor to Sterling Plastics Co., Union, NJ., a corporation of New Jersey Application .lune 13, 1957, Serial No. 665,519

2 Claims. (Cl. 15-136) This invention relates to moisteners for stamps, labels, and the like, and particularly to a moistener in which the body of absorbent material which applies liquid to the desired objects is firmly secured in proper position relative to the source of liquid.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a new and improved moistener which is self-contained and economical to manufacture.

Another object of my invention is to provide a moistener which is preferable in many cases to the moisteners heretofore used because it is easily used with a minimum of undesirable liquid leakage.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a moistener constructed by the mere assembly of a small number of cooperating parts, each of which is an integrally molded piece of a'thermoplastic resin, such a's a suitable polystyrene or polyethylene plastic.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a moistener which includes new and improved securing means for the body of absorbent material which applies liquid to the objects to be moistened.

The moistener provided according to this invention includes a container for holding a quantity of liquid, a closure for said container having an orifice therein communicating with the sp-ace in `said container, said orifice providing fora limited flow of the liquid therethrough,a body of.absorbent material overlying said closure to receive liquid from said orifice, means peripherally binding said body of absorbent material over said closure while exposing a substantial portion of said body for use to apply liquid absorbed therein to objects contacted thereby, said closure having an upwardly directed ledge around the same and said binding means comprising a ring fitted over said closure having a ledge spaced inwardly and directed downwardly from the top of said ring, said body being confined between said ledges, and cooperating means on said ring and said closure for locking said ring to said closure.

According to further features of the invention, the ledges are formed as integral parts of the closure and the ring, and each part of the device except the absorbent body is made as a single molded piece of a suitable thermoplastic resin, such as a polystyrene or a polyethylene resin.

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages hereof will become apparent from the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment, while the new features of construction and operation which I claim as my invention will be set forth more particularly in the appended claims. The detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof and in which:

Fig. 1 is an exploded view of the moistener of the invention; y

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the moistener of the invention with all of the parts in assembled relation; and

nited States. Paten O Fice 2,924,837 Patented Feb. 16, 1960 Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the closure assembly utilized in the moistener of the invention. As appears from the drawings, the moistener of the invention has a container 10, preferably including a neck 11 having external threading 12 thereon. In a preferred form, the container, the neck and the threading are constructed as an integral unit of a flexible resin, such as a suitable polyethylene plastic. In this form the container is of the squeeze bottle type wherein the sides of the container may be flexed inwardly to force the liquid inside of the container out through the opening in neck 11.

-A closure member 13, having a neck receiving portion 14 which is internally threaded, as at 15, is provided for closing the opening in the neck 11. The top 16 of the head of the closure member 13 has anorifce 17 which communicates with the opening in neck 11 soV that a small amount of liquid may pass therethrough. If, as in the form shown in the drawings, the container is formed of a fiexible material the size of the orifice is such that liquid will not ow therethrough until the container is flexed inwardly, thereby avoiding undesirable leakage when the device is inverted or inadvertently dropped or upset. Also formed as a part of the closure member is a continuous circular lip 18 which is directed upwardly from the peripheral edge of top 16.

A knurled ring 19, having a larger diameter than the rest of the closure member and integrally connected thereto by ribs or webs 20 and 21, may be provided for facilitating the removal of the closure member from the neck. This construction provides ledges 22 above the knurled rim for engaging corresponding portions of the locking ring, in a manner to be described later. As is best seen in Figs. 2 and 3 all ofthe above described parts of the closure member are formed in an integral unit, preferably formed of a suitable thermoplastic or thermosetting resin. In order to decrease the cost of forming and to decrease the weight of the closure member, said closure member may be advantageously formed with open portions such as at 23 and 24 without decreasing its strength and durability.

A pad of absorbent material 25, such as a natural or syntheticv sponge material," preferably having the shape of a circular disc or pad, is positioned over the closure member 13, in communication with orifice 17, so that it may absorb liquid iiowing through said orifice.

In order to secure said pad of absorbent material to said closure member while exposing a substantial portion of said pad for use to apply the liquid absorbed therein to objects contacted thereby, a locking member or ring 26 is provided. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, this ring may be tapered outwardly toward its bottom edge. The ring has a top iiange portion 27, which may be tapered upwardly and which terminates in a downwardly extending continuous circular lip 28 spaced inwardly from the top of the body of the ring. This lip cooperates with lip 18 to confine pad 25 so that the pad is securely held in position while exposing a substantial portion of the pad for use as a moistener, as best seen in Fig. 2. 'Ihe tight binding of peripheral portions of the absorbent sponge pad 25 between the downwardly directed lip 28 on ring 26 and the upwardly directed lip 1S on member 13 insures a firm holding of the absorbent pad in position to receive liquid from orifice 17, and forms a substantially liquid tight seal about the periphery of the pad 25.

Tabs 29 on the inner surface of ring 26 are adapted to snap over and engage beneath the ledges 22 of closure member 13 in order to firmly lock ring 26 to the closure member. All of the parts of the ring are molded in an integral unit, preferably of a flexible plastic material such as polyethylene.

The parts of the moistener, -the container, the closure member and the ring, yare eaeh lformed by filling a mold cavity with a suitable resin while the 'resin is in `a molten state and then cooling the molded resin. The 'mold cavities are shaped so that each molded piece is formed ihtegrauy with au df 'its 'iffefffai "elements Ikwhich eoop'erate with other parts lof the niois'ter'iei". Th's', 'the container is formed with an integral neck 11 having integrl threading 12 thereon; the closure'neiber is formed with integral lip 18, kr'lurled ring 19, AvVerb'S'20 and 21 and ledges 22; and ring 26 is formed integrally with flange ,Y 27 having lip 28 thereon, andtabs 29.

The moistener of the Yinvention is readily assembled by placing the pad vof absorbent material over the lclosure member, pressing the ring 26 downwardly overth'e pad of absorbent material until tabs 29'611 ytleriiig'snap under ledges :22 on the closure member, and thennscewing the 'moistening assembly onto container-'10. This {mannerjof assembly is economical Vand an be accomplislie'd with fa minimum number of 'peratiiis l,

It `vvill be'evident that the ivntihprvdes a. moistener which is economical to construct and his' readily assembled, which is leakproof, ptable, and Adurable and which is particularly valuable fdninstenng etai'nps, labels and the like.

I claim:

1. A closure device fora 'liquid applying t'aiiier comprising a hollow body memberhving means for att'aclu'nent thereof to the neck'of the containerfsaid body member including 'a head having'n iitiee/tleret'lough overlying the neck opening ofthe -container'and a skirt portion depending from the peripher'ynof lsai'clhead, said head having a continuous lip directed upwardly from its upper surface near the periphery `thereof; 4a pad of absorbent material laid on said head vand extending marginally over said lip, a binding ring formed to surround said head and'having a top opening to expose said pad, said ring having a downwardly directed Vcontinuou-s lip near the margin of said opening; said body member being recessedY near the lower part of said skirt to provide downwardly facing ledges spaced about said member; and inwardly directed tabs on the lowerpart of said ring vto engage said ledges; said ring being formedso'that when itis force fitted over said body member-said tabs resiliently lock it in place when its lip compresses the margin of said pad against the lip of said headsoas to'hold the ring and the pad securely onsaid-head and conne the liquid to the area of said pad withinfsdi'lbpehihg; ltlffe' closure device being removable from the container as a unit for relling 'ofrthe eontainer 'a'nd 'said ring being independently removable from said body member so that the pad of absorbent material can be replaced.

2. A closure device for a liquid applying container comprising a hollow body member having means for attachment thereof to the neck of the container, said body member including a head having `an orifice therethrough overlying theneck opening of the container and a skirt portion depending from the periphery of said head, said head having fa continuons lip directed upwardly from its upper surface nearthe periphery thereof; a pad of absorbent material --laid onsaid headv and extending marginally oversaid lip; a binding ring formed to surround said head and lhaving "a top opening to eX- pose said pad, said binding ring having a downwardly directed continuous lip near the margin of said opening; said body member being recessed near thelowerpart of said skirt 'to -pt "ovide 'downwardly facing ledges spaced about saidmembe'r; inwardly directed tabs on the lower part of 'said'ri'ngto engage said ledges; said binding ring being formed so `that'vl/'lien itis force fitted over said body member said tabs resiliently lock `in place when its lipcmpresses the Vmargin of -saidpa'd Aagainst the lip of said head so "s't'o hold the ring and lt'hepad'securely on said head4 and confine the liqid^to't.he area of said pad within 'said'o'pening theclo'siie device being removable from'the 'containeras a iinit for refilling Afof ithe container and'said binding'ring being'ihdependetly removable from said body member so that the "pad Aof 4absorbent material can be 'replaced;'said fbodyme'mber'fuher comprising a knurl'ed ring disposed below said binding ring for facilitatin'g vthe removal of the closure device-as a unit and a, plurality of 'webs located between 'said ledges and connecting said kr'nirledrin'gv with 'said skirt.

ReferencesCteil in thelefofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

